State of the Union, Reid and Legos

Dear Mark: I watched the president's State of the Union address last night, and now I'm ready to scream. He distorted his record, downplayed the reality of the poor economy and barely discussed the $16 trillion national debt. On top of that, I felt he was very divisive. What are your thoughts, and is this what we can look forward to for the next nine months? — Sick Sally in Sugartown

Dear Sick: Yes, this is what you can expect, except there will be a lot more venom and animosity toward Republicans and businesspeople. I won't give you my complete thoughts today because Obama's State of the Union address was basically the opening salvo of his re-election campaign, which means we'll be hearing the same theme through November. True to form, Obama's speech was heavy on platitudes and bumper stickers while light on specific solutions to present to Congress. He also followed his campaign's re-election formula of demonize, divide and deceive.

My prescription for your urges to scream is to go to Amazon.com and find a copy of the book "Ronald Reagan, the Wisdom and Humor of the Great Communicator." It will refresh your memory of how a true leader behaves and give you strength for the political fight that lies ahead.

Dear Mark: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is at it again, insulting the tea party by calling them "extremists" and "obstructionists." Why is he starting the new session of Congress with such a negative tone? — Weed Out Reid in Creed

Dear Weed Out: Dang it, the one gift I wanted from Santa was for Harry Reid to remain in Nevada with an itchy rash on his back that he couldn't quite reach and no C-SPAN. Naw, that would be cruel to his family. My feeling is that the negative tone is an overall election year strategy by the Democrats to label the tea party as extremist because, in addition to the presidency, Reid also has a majority in the Senate to protect.

Dear Mark: My wife and I are having a disagreement. In December, Lego came out with a new version of Legos specifically aimed at girls called Lego Friends. Now there is a movement to stop Legos from producing these kinds of toys. My wife believes that toys should be gender-neutral so that stereotypes are not reinforced, while I don't think it really matters. Who is right? — Help this Husband in Hominy

Dear Help: I don't have Ph.D., but I am the father of two beautiful daughters, so take my answer with a grain of salt. I find it hilarious that people are worried that plastic blocks that hurt your feet when you step on them in the middle of the night are going to have a negative impact on the development of young girls. Sounds like more political correctness.

Both my daughters played with "gender neutral" Legos, Hot Wheels and various sporting equipment, yet they both preferred the pink girlie stuff when Christmas and birthdays rolled around. I believe God has a specific plan for each of the genders, but that doesn't mean that one sex is superior to the other — rather that the differences are complementary.

To the protesters, let Lego market its products however it wants and parents raise your children however you see fit. To answer your question, I believe you're right, but for the sake of your marriage, don't run out and buy any of those new girlie Legos.

Dear Mark is a public platform for your enrichment and entertainment. E-mail your questions to [email protected] To find out more about Mark Levy, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit www.creators.com.

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